Egyptian delegation trains Eritrean doctors in Asmara

CAIRO – 31 July 2018: An Egyptian medical delegation arrived in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, earlier this month to train Eritrean doctors on some of the new medical devices used in ophthalmology, dentistry and general surgery.

According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, Egypt’s Ambassador in Eritrea, Yasser Hashem, said that the Egyptian delegation's visit came in light of efforts to boost mutual cooperation between both countries in the health sector.

“The delegation which is affiliated with the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development included several doctors and technicians who installed a number of medical devices and helped establish specialized medical centers in the Eritrean hospitals,” The statement read.

Hashem added in his statements that the cooperation between Egypt and Eritrea in the medical field reflects promising and successful relations between the two countries.

Earlier this year, President of Eritrea Isaias Afwerki visited Egypt in light of efforts by Egypt and Eritrea to strengthen their close ties.

Egyptian-Eritrean relations

After Eritrea had gained its independence from Ethiopia, following a long civil war on borders, on May 24, 1991, Egypt was among the top countries enhancing political, economic and diplomatic relations with Eritrea.

In this regard, Cairo and Asmara signed a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement on March 31, 2009, as well as a Protocol of Cooperation between the National Council for Youth in Egypt and National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS) on December 14, 2009.

Since the June 30 revolution, which Eritrea has supported at the African Union level, President Afwerki visited Egypt several times; the most recent two visits were in 2014 and 2016 to further enhance the deep relations between the two countries.

Delegations from Egypt and Eritrea have met several times over the last few years to intensify the coordination between them in various sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, trade, culture, education and health.

The Egyptian delegation of the Agriculture Ministry visited Asmara in 2016 to meet with Eritrean Agriculture Ministry’s general director and head of poultry and research departments to discuss means of fostering bilateral relations in the agricultural field.
Additional reporting by Marina Gamil